he would have to pay somehow, someway, for his indiscretion.
He’d soon discover that being married to me wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.
I’d make sure of that.
***
Chapter 17
Several aspirin, washed down with a secret hangover remedy, courtesy of Logan Sanders’ younger sister, Misty, had me feeling almost normal.
Now it was time to get tough and keep the crying to a minimum. I was married to a werewolf, after all. I’d resolved earlier to make the best of my dismal situation, while ensuring that Zane forever regretted his selfish decision to coerce me into this perverted version of Holy Matrimony.
Despite my fury over Zane’s lack of discretion, helping the pack wasn’t negotiable. If I wanted freedom from a vicious killer and the mutant hybrids, my participation was critical.
After a lengthy and much-needed discussion with Logan and several high-ranking pack members, I’d committed to using my talents not only to help find Plum Beach’s allusive serial killer, but also to snoop around at their upcoming board meeting. I hated to think what scary secrets the participants’ pets would divulge.
Even our well-laid plans did little to quell my fear.
One unpleasant question nipped at the edge of my thoughts — how would Jazmine respond to the impromptu wedding? My new status as Zane’s wife wouldn’t help matters. She was already hell-bent on destroying me and taking Zane as her mate.
Much to my relief, I didn’t have to stew alone. Misty had agreed to keep me company for the remainder of the afternoon and answer some of my questions while the men further plotted their strategies. I hoped our girl-time bonding-session would provide an opportunity for me to learn more about the whole werewolf mating phenomenon.
I still wasn’t sure if our recent marriage equaled a formal mating ceremony, or if something additional was required. From what I’d gathered during our group discussion, Jazmine could no longer claim Zane as her mate, as I was now his one and only … whatever that meant. My questions would have to wait, though. Hunger pangs had driven any lingering nausea away, making the search for food my number one priority.
The official lunch hour had long passed, but once again, the time didn’t matter. It was Las Vegas. Days merged with nights and vice versa. And from what I could tell by the other hotel patron’s rumpled attire and drooping eyes, I wasn’t the only one none too thrilled with my previous night’s conduct. For most of them, their nighttime indiscretions had been dragged into today, right along with their over-worn clothing.
I’d at least made the effort to clean up in an attempt to hide my recklessness.
“People don’t sleep much around here,” I acknowledged to myself, not sure yet how I felt about Misty. At least she understood my initial distress over the sudden change in my marital status. She’d stood up to Logan and Zane, voicing her sympathy for my predicament.
“Sleep is overrated,” she said. “Casino owners count on guests that gamble until they drop. Tired gamblers make desperate decisions that tend to increase our profits.”
“Can we eat here?” Longing for food, I stared through one of the hotel restaurants’ open doors. An overflowing buffet table was calling my name. The inviting aromas were enough to drive me forward without her approval.
“You sure your stomach is ready for all that?” Misty studied me. “You were still pretty pasty an hour ago.”
Appreciating her concern, I gave her my most sincere smile. “I promise if I get sick, which is happening a lot lately, I’ll take the blame.” I understood on some level that Misty was for the moment in charge of my wellbeing. Zane wouldn’t take kindly to my being returned worse off than I’d been before leaving. If anything, since last night, his protectiveness had increased.
“You’re catching on quick.” She gave me a grateful look. “I’ll grab a table.”
After filling my plate to capacity, I joined my first ever female werewolf acquaintance, who I hoped in the future I could refer to as a friend. She seemed nice enough.
We ate for a few minutes in comfortable silence, both of us lost in our thoughts. She was the one to speak first. “How much did Zane tell you about the mating process?’
“Not much.” Wasn’t that the truth? Yesterday I was single. Today I was married to a werewolf and trying to accept that I’d had sex with said werewolf without my knowledge. I’d apparently given permission and enjoyed the monumental event.